J. Homer Hawkins
Upon the farm which he now occupies in Xenia township J. Homer Hawkins was born on the 20th of November, 1864, and here his entire life has been passed as a representative agriculturist of Greene county. He is a son of James and Catlierine (Cromwell) Hawkins and the father was also born on the farm occupied hy our subject, The grandfather was Mounts Hawkins, and at an early day the family lived in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia. Mounts Hawkins was an own cousin of David Crockett, the famous scout and explorer. Leaving Virginia he emigrated westward and became one of the pioneer settlers of Greene county, Ohio. He engaged in farming in Xenia township and purchased the old home place, to which he added from time to time until he had one thousand acres, the greater part of which was originally covered with timber, but he cleared away the forest trees and developed a very valuable farm. He wedded Mary Allen, a daughter of Davis and Elizabeth (Antrim) Allen, who were also from Virginia. It was in 1814 that the grandparents of our subject arrived in Greene county and the thousand acres of land were purchased for five thousand dollars. Both Mounts Hawkins and his wife spent their remaining days in this county.
Their son, James Hawkins, was reared amid the wild scenes of tlie frontier and assisted in the arduous task of developing a new farm from the wild forest land. Throughout the years of his business career he carried on agricultural pursuits, making his home upon the place where his birth occurred. He married Catherine Cromwell, a native of Maryland and a daughter of Richard and Susan (McLaughlin) Cromwell, also natives of the same state. The father was a farmer and stock-raiser and followed those pursuits until his death, which occurred in Maryland, when he was forty-six years of age. He had served bis country in the war of 1812. For nearlv ten years after the father's death the Cromwell familv remained in Maryland and then the mother brought her six children, of whom Mrs. Hawkins was one, to Greene county, Ohio. James Hawkins was a prosperous and progressive man and provided a good home for his family. He became a very extensive land owner and his realty holdings brought to him a good financial return by reason of the care and labor be bestowed upon the fields. He was a member of the First Reformed church of Xenia and served as one of its elders for many years. In politics he was a Democrat. His death occurred in December, 1882, when he was sixty-two years of age, and thus the community lost a valued and representative citizen and his family a devoted husband and father. His widow still survives him and yet resides upon the old home farm with the subject of this review. By her marriage she became the mother of nine children: Joseph C. who died in childhood; Mary Belle, at home; Carrie, also at home; Sallie C who spends most of her time in Atlanta, Georgia; Mounts, who died in infancy; Flora, who died at the age of seventeen years; Frances C, the wife of L. F. Cramer, an insurance man of Osborn, Greene county; Ann Maria, who died in infancy; and J. Homer. Of this family Frances C. was married in 1881 to L. F. Cramer, of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Their children are: Winnefred, a student in Wittenberg College, of Springfield. Ohio: Ralph, a student in the high school of Osborn; Catherine, who is also taking the high school course; Joseph Carl, who died at the age of three years; and Marguerite, at home.
J. Homer Hawkins pursued his early education in the public schools of Xenia and later became a student in Xenia College, after which he entered upon his business career as a farmer and stock-raiser, having gained practical knowledge of the business during the davs of his youth, when he was not occupied by his schollwork, he is engaged in the operation of two hundred acres of rich and valuable land, and the fields are under a high state of cultivation. He is also a successful stock-raiser, making a specialty of short-horn cattle, Poland China hogs and Percheron horses. He takes a deep interest in everything tending to promote the welfare of the agricultural class and render their labors more effective and profitable, and is to-day the president of the Greene county Farmers' Institute.
In November, 1891, Mr. Hawkins was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Fisher, a daughter of Andrew Fisher. a meat packer and dealer of Xenia. To them have been born two children: James, born .March 7, 1894, and Edith M., born April 27. 1899. In his political views Mr. Hawkins is a Democrat and has been a member of Xenia township board of education for the past seven or eight years, while for fourteen years he has been a deacon in the reformed church, in which he holds membership.
From History of Greene County, Ohio, by George F. Robinson (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1902)